Iceland Tops Global Peace Index 2025, Russia Ranked Least Peaceful

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) has published the Global Peace Index 2025, revealing a continued decline in global peace. Released in June 2025, the report indicates that the world is currently undergoing a major shift in the global order.

IEP researchers noted 59 active state-based conflicts, the most since World War II. Around 100 countries are also deemed less peaceful than a decade ago.

The index evaluates peace using both internal factors. such as violent crime rates, homicide figures, and civil unrest, and external factors, including military spending, nuclear capabilities, and international relations.

Iceland Maintains Top Spot as Most Peaceful Nation

Iceland once again ranked as the world’s most peaceful country in 2025, maintaining its top position since 2008. Following Iceland are Ireland, New Zealand, Austria, and Switzerland, rounding out the top five.

Singapore ranks sixth, with the remainder of the top 10 dominated by European nations: Portugal, Denmark, Slovenia, and Finland.

Russia Deemed Least Peaceful

Russia sits at the bottom of the 2025 index, identified as the least peaceful country. The others in the bottom five include Ukraine, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Yemen.

Although Western and Central Europe remain among the most peaceful regions globally, IEP researchers noted a significant shift in the region's security climate. The ongoing war in Ukraine and diminishing U.S. strategic presence in Europe have prompted many European nations to reallocate budgets from sectors like education and healthcare to defense.

"The Russian threat is real and no individual European country comes close to Russia's military capability," the researchers said in the report, as quoted by Daily Mail.

In contrast, the Middle East and North Africa continue to be the least peaceful regions in 2025. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest number of countries engaged in conflict, with 35 out of 43 experiencing conflict over the past five years.

High-risk areas for potential large-scale conflict, according to IEP, include Kashmir, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Syria.

South America Sees Gains in Peace

South America is the only region to see an improvement in its peace score compared to last year. The index also notes an increase in the number of countries wielding global influence within the region. In total, 34 countries are now seen as having significant geopolitical impact in at least one other nation—up from just 13 at the end of the Cold War.

While China has seen the largest jump in global influence since that time, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, India, the UAE, Israel, South Africa, Brazil, and Indonesia are also highlighted as influential regional powers.

IEP founder and chairman Steve Killelea emphasized that this year’s findings reflect a critical turning point.

"This is leading to a fundamental realignment and a possible tipping point to a new international order, the nature of which still can't be fathomed," he said.

"This is driven by rising middle-level powers, major power competition, and unsustainable levels of debt burdens in the world's most fragile countries."

Editor's Choice: The 10 Most Unsafe Countries in the World, Rife with Conflict and Chaos

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